New Year's Eve, 1999, may seem a long way off, but fireworks companies are already gearing up to ensure the Millennium goes with a bang.

One of the most popular storage areas for fireworks in the country is in former ammunition stores at Heyford Park, the ex-RAF base at Upper Heyford.

But companies needing to use all the stores in the bomb area are facing a technical hitch because explosives covered by separate licences cannot be stored too close together.

This means three of the companies at Upper Heyford must wait for the go-ahead from the Health & Safety Executive, even though the fireworks are in former bomb shelters, designed to store weapons for F-111 fighter bombers.

Now firework firms at Heyford Park are applying for one explosives licence to cover the whole south area site, which would cater for about 20 tonnes of fireworks in each of the 52 shelters. Keith Watson, of North Oxfordshire Consortium, which manages Heyford Park, said: "When we first took over Heyford Park we thought, who would want to rent a bomb shelter? "Then bang - out of the blue - comes a firework company. I couldn't think of a better use for a bomb store to be honest. If anything ever did explode in there, all you'd know about it would be a puff of smoke coming out of the air vents."

At the moment, the consortium can only let a third of the bomb shelters. Fireworks stored there range in price from £20 to a couple of pence.

John Woodhead, of Cosmic Fire Ltd, which will have responsibility for the new licence, said: "We have fireworks of all varieties, from Catherine Wheels and big mortar shells to sparklers, from all over the world. They come from Spain, Taiwan, China and Britain.

"We also put together fireworks for big displays there. They are fused together to create a sequence. It's a very specialised skill.

"Displays aren't so popular here now, people prefer shows in the air rather than on the ground, but we do things for the Middle East. We get Sultans who want their heads done in fireworks for parties."

He said fireworks were very popular in Oxfordshire and that Boswell's in Broad Street, Oxford, was one of the biggest retail sellers of fireworks in the country, while Pied Pedaller Toys in Witney and Bicester's Handy Stores also put in big orders.

Mr Woodhead said if the licence were granted it would mean 50 per cent more space for the firm, which was desperately needed both for the Millennium and November 5, 1999. Bhikhubhai Shah, of Devco, another company on the site, said: "We're trying to build up gradually. There will be hardly anybody who will be able to get supplies next year. Because of the Millennium, everyone wants to order, so we've got to get in beforehand otherwise we'll miss the boat. As the Millennium is for every country it's a bit of a battle to get supplies."

A spokesman for the Health and Safety Executive's explosives division was unimpressed by the fact the fireworks were stored in bomb shelters.

"It still has to go through the same process," she said. "Because of the quantity of fireworks that will be stored, the vicinity of other buildings they want to use for storage, and the perimeter of the site so other buildings won't be affected if there is an explosion."

She said Heyford Park could point out on its applications that fireworks were unlikely to produce a larger explosion than a bomb.

After the HSE has made a decision it then has to go before Cherwell District Council for its approval. Councillors last week deferred a decision on a change of use to all premises in the southern bomb area in order to have more discussions.

OUT OF LUCK

Organisers of Millennium parties will be hard pushed to find caterers for the night - they all want the evening off.

Michael Ashton, managing director of Abbey Catering in Abingdon, said: "We've had plenty of enquiries about New Year's Eve, 1999, but we're not doing anything because we want to enjoy it ourselves.

"Hopefully the Millennium will be one big street party. The prices caterers would have to charge would be outrageous. To get the staff to come out and work would cost hundreds of pounds per person."

Barbara Sherry of the Complete Catering Company in Wantage, said: "We're not catering because we're going to celebrate the Millennium.

"Would you want to work on New Year's Eve, 1999, and if you did work, who much would we have to pay you?

"The cost would be enormous. We've had quite a few enquiries but we've said 'no' to all of them."

Nina Wild, a partner in Gatsby's-Wild Food in Headington, Oxford, said: "I think we're going to steer clear of it and just go out ourselves. It's too important to give up."

Exeter Hall in Kidlington, Oxford, is booked up for a 1999 charity dance - but organisers have already run into difficulties.

Trish Redpath, Kidlington Parish Clerk, said: "You can't book anything. Catering is so expensive and it's impossible to book a band for that particular night. All the people who play in the bands think there are going to be wonderful celebrations happening and a lot of them won't commit themselves to performing.

"We've advertised for people to form a Millennium band specially for the night." FIVE BIG BANG FACTS

1 Fireworks were invented in China in the 6th century

2 They spread to Arabia in the 7th century where they were known as 'Chinese Arrows'

3 Gunpowder was invented during the Sung dynasty in China, between 960 and 1279. It was used against Mongol invaders in 1279

4 Europe first had fireworks during the Renaissance

5 Most countries have a particular night when they use fireworks to celebrate. In Britain we remember Guy Fawkes Night, France celebrates Bastille Day on July 14, Switzerland has a national day on August 1 and America remembers Independence Day on July 4.

Converted for the new archive on 30 June 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.